Above the Ocean's Floor
by Ella Anders
Summary: Season five spoilers: After being freed of the Sirenix curse, Daphne has a new lease on life though this collection of one-shots set after her return.
1. Stella's Make-Over

_**Above the Ocean's Floor**_

**Summary: Season five spoilers: After being freed of the Sirenix curse, Daphne has a new lease on life though this collection of one-shots set after her return.**

**Disclaimer: Winx Club is owned by Rainbow and Viacom.**

**Authoress' Notes: After seeing the last episode of season five I had such a desire to write this. So far there are about twenty-five different one-shots that will be included in this collection (if not more) that will lead into a Daphne-centric series. Some installments will be shorter than others.**

* * *

_"Stella's Make-Over"_

"And this is our room," Flora's voice called out as the door leading into the Winx's dorm room. One by one each of the six Winx girls entered their apartment, lagging behind them was an awestruck blonde clothed in an old golden-yellow ball-gown. Her ember colored eyes wide as she struggled to take in all the sights, sounds, feelings and odors that greeted her. Her heart rate increased as her adrenaline rushed through her veins. Self-consciously she ranked a hand through her hair- something she had not done in so long, the sensation was faintly familiar and distance at the same time. She keep telling herself that this wasn't a dream, but reality.

"Daphne, are you okay?" Musa asked as she gently placed a hand on the shaken blonde's shoulder. Daphne jumped slightly, yet another simple jester she was not accustom to.

"Yes, I am fine. It is just this is surreal to me, to be alive again after years of existing without a body." Daphne turned to look out the large window as a pair of birds passed by, "There is a lot to take in, a lot to get use to again."

"I image so, it must be a drastic change for you," Tecna nodded.

Daphne lowered her head, "Yes. I feel a bit overwhelmed; I suppose…everything seems so much different now, I have no idea what to do or see."

"Well," Stella's perky voice cut through Daphne's modestly honest thoughts, "First thing is first. You have to get out of that dress. Chic yes, but you have been wearing the same thing for too long, I don't know how you could stand it."

"Fashion-" Daphne began to respond to Stella's comment, but was cut off the hyper and childish Solaria princess yanked her by the arm and dragged her into what Daphne assumed was her private living quarters. Daphne's eyes widened as she entered the bedroom, it looks like it had been a battle zone as clothing, magazines, books and other objects where scattered across the floor. At last Stella loosened her grasp on Daphne's wrists and the newly restored fairy managed to escape with only minor pain shooting up. She made a face, yet another thing she wasn't use to experiencing.

"Do you always keep your nails that sharp?" Daphne questioned as she tenderly rubbed her wrist.

"Hummm," Stella bit her lower lip as looked inside another door, Daphne's guess was that it lead to her closet, clearly not listening to her.

Musa leaned up against the door frame, "Stella give her break already. Not even returned to her body for an hour and you are already making her wish she was back in the water."

Stela turned to face Musa, "Ha-ha, very funny. Now is Daphne a summer or winter?"

Aisha shock her head as she joined Musa at the door, by chance she caught a look at the bewildered Daphne. "We probably should apologize in advance for her, Stella has more than a tendency to get out of hand. Especially when fashion is involved."

Musa nodded, "Yeah. She can be relentless."

Daphne gave a small half-simile as she watched tops and skirts fly from inside the closet and nearly hit Musa in the face. Either this was a coincidence or Stella had that good of an arm.

"No more commentary from the peanut gallery," Stella declared as she walked out from her closet, in her arms she carried what looks like a skirt, top, sweater and heels. Slowly Stella pulled her right hand from out from under the pile. With a smile she flickered her hand and a ray of light appeared around Daphne. Daphne's eyes widened as she seen the light form around her, her ball-gown began to face away and it its place a new outfit formed.

"Wow," Daphne said softly once the light had faded, Stella grinned as she pointed at the mirror and made a hand gesture encouraging Daphne to take a look at herself in the mirror. Slowly, but surely Daphne advanced towards the mirror, once she seen her reflection she drew back for a moment upon laying eyes on a side of herself she hadn't seen in ages. Her skin no longer glowed in hues of gold, but was pale like her sister. Stella's magic had replaced the dress she had been sporting with a knee-length green-ish blue skirt, a baby-blue tank-top and a pair of wedges.

"What do you think?" Stella inquired.

Daphne smiled at her reflection, as strange as it all was it was good to be back.


	2. Homecoming

"_Homecoming"_

Daphne could feel the butterflies form in her stomach the moment Bloom suggested they return home, to the Sparks Castle on Domino. Bloom's brightly expressive eyes sparkled and shimmered as she day-dreamed out loud of what the homecoming would be like. However, Daphne was not nearly as excited as her little sister, for the last time she had seen her beloved home it had been falling apart, people where spread out across the floor-dead. Needless to say when someone spoke of the royal castle Dap's mind flooded with a very different mental picture than Bloom possessed. To the red-head it was a beautiful castle that only topped off her childhood dream of life as a fairy-princess, but to Daphne it was a nightmare filled with bad blood. Cold chills ran up her back at the mere thought of returning.

"Are you coming, Daphne?" Bloom asked as she opened a portal.

Daphne jumped, slightly startled. "Yes, of course." Slowly, but surely Daphne walked towards her smiling sister.

"Later, Bloom! Bye, Daphne. See you later." Called out Stella as Bloom walked into the portal. Originally the five other members of the club had wanted to tag along and provide moral support to both emotional sisters, that is until Daphne reminded them all how sensitive the entire ordeal was and that it would probably be for the better if it was keep within the family and low profile until everyone was better adjusted.

"It was nice really getting to spend time with you all, we should get together soon." Daphne waved good-bye as she put her hand in the portal.

"Once you get a cell phone text us!" Tecna chimed in.

Daphne smiled, still not sure what a cell phone was or if she would actually get one herself, "Sure. I will have Bloom pass it on." With a final good-bye and thank you, Daphne emerged herself completely inside the portal. There was no turning back now.

* * *

After nearly two decades under the water, the feeling of traveling by portal was yet another thing to add to her list of strange things. Luckily the preferred choice of travel was fast, within minutes the two sisters had arrived outside the castle. "Home sweet home," Bloom said cheerfully as she helped her sister up. After dusting herself off, Daphne by chance glanced upward at the castle. Her eyes widened, never had the castle looked as grand as it did before her at that very moment. Flowers where blooming all around the yards, birds where singing gleefully and the flag of Domino hung high up in the air proudly. Domino had re-built its' self and was grander than ever. The Sparks Castle that was etched inside Daphne's memory was a thing of the past.

"Why don't I show you around the outside of the castle first? Mom and Dad are still in a meeting."

Daphne nodded her head, still awestruck. With a smile, Bloom grabbed her sister's hand and the two sprinted to the garden.


	3. Reflections

_"Reflections"_

To see Domino in its current state of prosperity, peace and beauty was more glorious and precious to Daphne than having all the gold, jewels and couture clothing in the entire dimension.

As the two sisters slowly stooled the large stoned pathways before them as they explored the luch green flower filled grounds. As they did so, Bloom chatted animatedly as she pointed at various things; flowers, statues, and fountains and so on, and the proceeded to ramble off something about it. Despite a majority of it all being new and un-familiar to Daphne; there had been a few things that had jolted her memory, for better or worse. Nevertheless she refrained from raining on her little sister's parade. Seeing how it probably wasn't everyday she was able to play a royal tour guide at her own castle.

At one point the duo stopped for a moment allowing Daphne to rest, after years without using her legs she was getting quite the work-out with all the walking. By chance, Daphne leaned over and carefully leaned a steam of a beautiful tropical multi colored flower that bared hues of yellow that faded into orange and lastly fuchsia towards her face. "I have never seen a flower like this before, where is it from?" After inhaling the sweet smell it possessed, a smile formed on Daphne's face as she stroked the flower's petals. "It smells like the sea."

"It's from the ocean of Linphea, Flora found it one day by chance. She thought it was beautiful too and with the help of her magic it now can live above the water," Bloom explained as she knelt down beside her sister to enjoy the small patch of flowers. "Aquatic Tides, I think that is the name she gave it. Or something like that." Bloom shrugged her shoulders.

Daphne nodded her head, "Hum."

"It was growing all over down there-"Bloom stopped for a moment as something occurred to her prompting her to inquire in a puzzled tone. "You actually haven't seen it before?"

"I believe I said that," Daphne replied in a light tone. "Why do you seem so surprised?"

"No reason."

Daphne arched her eyebrow, "Bloom." She pressed as she rose to her feet, her hands fell onto her hips.

"It's just," Bloom started un-steadily. "For the Sirenix quest we had to travel to various oceans in different realms; Andros, Melody, Domino and Linphea among others. I just assumed that you might have seen the flower before during your own quest." This dead-panned Daphne, she looked down at her feet and started to get quite, very quiet. Bloom bit her lower lip, perhaps mentioning the entire Sirenix ordeal was still too soon for Daphne's open wounds. "Sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned-"

Daphne raised a hand, "It is fine, little sister." Despite her tone being assuring, there was something that came off as annoyed. "My Sirenix quest was much different than the one the Winx and yourself took on. I did not travel to some of the realms you did and my tests…they varied greatly."

"Oh", Bloom said softly, her eyes cast down-ward. Not knowing what else to do, the two just started walking once more and headed towards the castle. For a while the two walked without uttering as much as one word, each feeling sight tension from the other. The speechless-ness, like everything, came to an end when Bloom blurted out what she had been thinking for quite some time, "Why did you become a Sirenix fairy?"

Daphne stopped in her tracks, "Excuse me?"

"I have been wondering for a while now."

"Why I un-locked Sirenix?" Daphne responded sounding semi-dumbfound.

Bloom nodded her head, "Yeah. I mean, sure you are the fairy of the Water Stars and well Sirenix is a water-centric transformation. But out of all the transformations out there, why did you go for Sirenix? What was so special about it?"

Wrapped up in her thoughts, Bloom had not seemed to notice any and all color from Daphne's face and body vanish instantly as she thought about the reason she had gone for Sirenix. Over-whelmed by the memory of it all the only thing Daphne could do in her current state was say, "It's very complained Bloom and I would highly appreciate you not asking me about it. Or at least for now, it has been a very stressful ordeal and the past few months have hardly been a holiday."

"But-"Bloom started only to receive a death-glare by her elder sister who turned and replied.

"Bloom, please. I do not wish to live in the past and recall my implosive actions of the past. Sometimes we are better off knowing less than more. You haven't a clue what everything had been link and more than anything I wish I could forget it all as well." Daphne said firmly in a low tone so only her sister could hear her.

Bloom bit her lip, she had grown accustom to seeing her sister being serious, but apparently the times in the past where nothing in comparison to this. Knowing the only choice she really had was to drop the topic and say she was sorry, Bloom choose to do just that. Or at least for the moment, clearly there where things that Daphne didn't want to recall and things she was hiding. Things Bloom was sure of one day she would know.

"I'm sorry Daphne, I promise not to ask any more questions about it all. Why don't we head inside, mom and dad's meeting should be over before long."

Daphne's cheerfulness returned, "Apology accepted, I can hardly wait to see them. It has been too long."

With that the sister advanced towards the castle, as they did so Bloom watched her sister and her actions closely. _What is it that you are hiding, Daphne?_

* * *

There was something about returning to a favorite place after a long time away that made everything dream-like, a feeling so surreal it felt like one could wake-up at any instance, and then it would all be over and stuck where they had been before.

Or at least, that was Daphne's prospective on the matter. As wondrous of a day as it all had been, Daphne couldn't help but to feel completely exhausted and drained of any and all energy. She could hardly wait to get climb in bed and some long awaited rest. As she changed out of her barrowed outfit and into what had been put out for her, a short sleeved cream colored nightgown with light green accents that fell to just above her knees. As she when to pull her blankets and sheet back, Daphne could feel her body ache. It seemed like everything hurt to some extent, Daphne had half a mind to draw a warm bath to help lessen the throbbing. But her heavy eye-lids where a reminder that the best thing for her was rest. As she jumped into her tall king-sized canopy bed, her ember colored eyes wondered her room as she looked around. It was seemingly the same as how she had left it all of those years ago, even though the reality of it all was that it wasn't exactly the same as once upon a time ago. No, the entire room had a very beach-y and ocean-esque vide to the space with hues of various shade of green and blue with white accents of white throughout making the room look clean and polished. Same light green walls with white trim and crown molding, same antique-style furniture, same silk bedding, same everything. _It's almost like it was shielded from the hands of time. _Daphne had said when her ladies-in-waiting had shown her to her room.

With a sigh, Daphne flopped down on her bed and closed her eyes as she thought how good it felt to rest on such a smooth and soft surface, one of the many things she had missed during her days trapped under the water…. As she reached for her blanket she gazed out the large window across from her bed and up at the night sky that was dominated by the large full moon and a series of shining stars that surrounded it. A smile found its way onto Daphne's face, as she cuddled into her bed she began to re-cap the day in her mind, the day she never though would become anything more than an irrational dream that would only get her thought the lonely nights of isolation.

It was now hard to believe that earlier this very morning she was still under the Sirenix cure and a captive of Tritannus; and now Daphne was free of the cures, returned to her own body, back at home at the Sparks Castle and re-united with her sister and parents. _My parents_, they had, naturally, been shocked to see her. At first they were un-sure if it wasn't some type of trick or joke, luckily between Bloom and herself they had managed to convince both Ortiel and Miriam that it was indeed the real Daphne. Once the realization was upon them shock over came the couple for a brief instance, afterword leading them both to hugging and squeezing Daphne as Mariam cried tears of joy and Ortiel praised the Great Dragon and included Bloom in on the group hug.

It had been at that moment when Daphne realized _how_ much she had really missed her parents….

Before Daphne could elaborate on the outstanding feeling of being in her mother and father's arms once more and being able to feel them, she had drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Like many dreams she had dreamed of prior, Daphne found herself in the middle of the castle's ball-room clothed in a fine golden-yellow ballgown and her hair was done up in an elaborate up 'do. The ball-room was packed with royals and non-royals from all across the great realm of Domino, and the finest decor adored the space. Here and there people stood in random clusters chatting about everything from the latest fashions, to the happens in the kingdom to theater performances. In the background- though likely you couldn't hear it too well- the large orchestra was playing.

"Daphne, dear." Miriam called out as she gestured for her daughter to come join her and Ortiel at the center of the large room. With a simple smile, Daphne gathered the side of her gown and slowly made way toward her family.

"Oh, isn't she such a cute baby!" Cooed Lady Anya as she leaned into Ortiel's arm. At first this registered as odd to Daphne, that is until she approached closer and seen a tiny sleeping baby cuddled into her father's arms.

"Indeed she is," Miriam agreed. "Princess Laurel, she has the flame in her eyes."

Before anyone could say or do anything, everything frozen in place. No one moved, the music and chattered ended and was stuck in suspended animation. Daphne could feel her heart beat faster as she twirled around, looking left and right. "What's going on here?" She asked out-loud as her chest slowly started to tighten and her palms sweat from underneath her elbow-length gloves.

Daphne turned her head and heard an evil laugh, "You though you could still escape me, Daf?"

Daphne became pale in the face as she recognized the voice and adopted a battle ready pose. _"You!_" She called out in an acid-like tone.

"Just because your cure is broken doesn't mean it's over Daphne."

Daphne blinked her eyes, when she re-opened them she was no longer in the ball-room or even her bedroom. She was back in the middle of the ocean, countered by darkness. As much and as hard as she tried to fight it, the negatively dark energy seemed to grown stronger and stronger...

* * *

"NO!" Daphne screamed as she lunged forward. Sweat just dripping off her body. Panicked her hands one fell onto her face and the other to the small bed-side lap. After turning it on and seeing that she was still in her room and it was all just a dream gone amiss, Daphne started to calm down slight.

"It's just a dream...right?"


End file.
